Supporters of the English team will be permitted to remain in pubs — whether in jubilation or shared disappointment — for up to half an hour after the conclusion of the World Cup quarter-final clash with Norway, according to government officials.
The adjusted opening times will ensure that fans in England and Wales can view the full match, even if kick-off is postponed due to severe heat conditions. A prior extension had already permitted establishments to stay open until 2:00 a.m. British Summer Time.
The English side is scheduled to start at 10:00 p.m. BST (6:00 p.m. local time) at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
This decision follows the earlier fixture against Mexico on 2 July at the Azteca Stadium in the host nation, which started an hour behind schedule due to thunderstorms.
“Supporters deserve the opportunity to watch every single moment of the quarter-final as a community, and this extension is designed to ensure that,” Policing Minister Sarah Jones stated.
“After the weather-related delay before the Mexico encounter, we aim to provide fans and hospitality venues with complete assurance that no one will have to miss any of the action.”
She expressed her hope that pubs and bars would be “full to capacity” for the match, as the team “hopefully takes another stride toward bringing football back to its homeland.”
There had been uncertainty before the Mexico match when the governing body reversed a decision to move the game earlier because of adverse weather conditions. The match was ultimately postponed by one hour following heavy downpours in Mexico City and lightning sightings near the stadium.
The risk of extreme heat has been a prominent issue throughout this World Cup, which is jointly hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
The world football body also implemented compulsory cooling breaks in the middle of each half to assist players in coping with the heat and humidity.
A weather forecaster, Matt Taylor, cautioned: “It’s going to be a tough day for both players and spectators alike in Miami, as heat and humidity levels soar.”
The National Weather Service has put out a heat advisory for the city from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time.
“Daytime temperatures will climb to a blistering 33°C (91.4°F), but the high humidity will make it feel more like 43°C out there,” Taylor added.
At the scheduled start time, there is a 20-30% chance of storms in the area, he noted. If lightning is detected within eight miles of the stadium, an automatic 30-minute delay will be triggered.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Home Office confirmed that the extended opening times would apply to any subsequent England fixtures, including possibly the final, guaranteeing that venues can stay open for up to half an hour after the match ends.
This blanket extension removes the need for individual venues to apply for longer opening hours.
Opening hours had already been extended for the tournament, from 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. for matches with kick-off times between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., and until 2:00 a.m. for matches starting between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
The home secretary holds the statutory authority to prolong licensing hours for events of “exceptional international, national, or local significance.”
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